Irene and Tyler's Beautiful Wedding at Brier Creek Country Club!

Irene and Tyler came to see me about officiating their unique wedding ceremony set for April 14, 2012 at Brier Creek Country Club. Irene's heritage is Filipino and she knew she wanted to incorporate wedding customs from that tradition and she also liked the Hispanic wedding ritual called The Arras which involves the transfer of coins during the ceremony. She also wanted to include the Unity Candle ceremony. So, she set about finding an officiant who was familiar with these ceremonies. Lucky for me, I have done the veil and cord and arras several times and knew the symbolism and words for the ceremony. The Unity Candle ceremony has many variations which I have collected. So we signed the contract and got started crafting their special ceremony. It is during this period of ceremony creation that I really get to know the bride and groom! I have them answer a questionnaire for me about how they met, what attracted them to each other, how the relationship grew into deciding to marry, what they love doing together, why they love each other and want to marry and what they are looking forward to. From what they tell me, I write the wedding address for their ceremony. Of course the ceremony is very personalized and unique to each couple and usually the guests have never heard a wedding ceremony like this.

When Marty, my assistant, and I arrived the folks from The English Garden were busy putting up the pretty white drapes and the flowers. They were truly blowing in the wind which was quite blustery!

We had some difficulty getting the Unity Candle glass hurricane covers to not blow over and had to place the table off-center in front of one of the drapes to reduce the force of the wind and it worked.

Our photographer, Heather Houston, was busy getting some great shots of all the guys standing around in the garden. Their videographer, John Giovanni, was nearby recording all the action.

Juan Matta, our DJ, was all set up and ready to go.

Inside in the ballroom the staff was putting the final touches on the tables.

The cake by Swank Cake Designs was in place.

The guests arrived and filled up all 175 seats!

Time to get lined up to enter.

Bethany with Premier Party Planners, was our capable director. She had everything organized and is ready to cue in Irene and her father George.

I had told George at the rehearsal that it was his job to keep the bride from galloping down the aisle. Looks like he is holding back an eager Irene here!

After Irene handed her bouquet off to her Maid of Honor, Iris, her father lifted the blusher veil and I asked: "George, as Irene's father, do you and her mother, Carmelinda, bless and support her as she comes to join in marriage to Tyler?" And of course he said "We do" and placed Irene's hand in Tyler's.

After a brief welcome we began with a prayer.

The Arras ritual was next. After placing the 13 coins into Irene's hands, Tyler is saying "Irene, I offer these coins as a pledge of my dedication to you, the care of our home and the welfare of our family."

Irene returns the coins to Tyler saying the same words to him symbolizing her partnership in supporting and caring for him as well.

Tyler places the coins into the box which were placed on the table with the Unity Candle.

Then I told the guests all about how Tyler and Irene met back in August of 2005 at a sports bar in Chapel Hill when Tyler was in dental school at UNC. Irene noticed him first but Tyler was glued to the TV watching a ballgame and did not notice her. A year later in a similar scenario, Tyler took note of this beautiful woman and asked their mutual friend and fellow dental student, Avni, one of our bridesmaids, to put in a good word for him which she was happy to do. Their first date was at a pool hall where Tyler discovered that Irene was a very good pool player and told me that date "sealed the deal" for him!

After the vows were made, it was time for the veil and cord sponsors to come forth and place the veil over the bride's head and around the groom's shoulders.

The veil is symbolic of "being clothed as one in unity."

The cord, tied in a figure 8 or symbol of infinity, signifies that the couple is no longer two but one in their new life.

"May the bond of love and friendship uniting Irene and Tyler grow stronger over the years. May they remain united all their lives knowing, loving, and serving each other and the community."